Show more Understanding

There is a story of a holy man from the Middle East who was in the habit of not eating breakfast each morning until a hungry person came by to share it with him. One day, an elderly man came by. The holy man saw him and invited him to share his breakfast with him. The elderly man thanked him profusely and sat down at the table to join him. As they began to say a blessing over the food, the elderly man said aloud a prayer to the pagan gods. The holy man was taken aback since he only believed in one God. He felt that the elderly man was a non-believer and so he became very upset. "If you believe in pagans, then I don't want you in my house!" he said to the old man, who scurried off. 

When the holy man returned to his table, he heardGod speak to him. God said, "What right have you to send that man away?" The holy man said, "He did not believe in you." God replied, "Look here! I know he does not believe in me. But I have been supplying the unbeliever with food every day for eighty years even though he doesn't believe in Me. Couldn't you tolerate him for one single meal?"

We sometimes become righteous about our own beliefs and our own goodness and look down upon others. Who is good and who is bad? No matter how bad we think someone is, God provides for everyone. There are people who lie, who cheat, who deceive others, and who slander others. There are people who hurt others and even kill others. It takes all types to make the world. Some of us believe in a God, others don't; still others are agnostics. Yet, God provides life to each of them. No one is perfect.

Even those of us who are on the spiritual path feel righteous about ourselves. Some people criticise others who do not meditate as much as they do, who do not do as much service as they do, or who do not live by the ethical values as well as they do. Sometimes people become very outspoken about the faults of others. But have we ever analysed our own selves? Is it our duty to become the reformers of others? We should accept the fact that no one is without fault. God knows everyone's faults. God sees everything we do and everything everyone else does.

We should be kind and loving to all. We should respect and learn to live amicably with people who have different beliefs and customs from those that we have. Why be critical of non-believers and agnostics? Are we not entitled to believe in what we are convinced about, as long as we do not hurt anyone?

God has made a world with people following many different religions and yet provides for each of them. Each one of us is different; this fact alone should enable us to show more understanding to those who do not agree with us. When we show love and understanding to all, then we are acting like true children of the Lord. God is love, and when we show love for others, we too are filled with love and come closer to God.